Anthony Buckeridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anthony Malcolm Buckeridge
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Anthony Buckeridge
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| Born | 20 June 1912 London, England |
| Died | 28 June 2004 (aged 92) |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | British |
| Period | 1948–1994 |
| Notable works | Jennings series |
Anthony Malcolm Buckeridge OBE (born June 20, 1912 – died June 28, 2004) was a famous English author. He is best known for his fun children's books. His most popular series were about a schoolboy named Jennings and another character called Rex Milligan. He also wrote a children's book called A Funny Thing Happened in 1953. This book was even read on a popular radio show called Children's Hour. In 2003, he received a special award called the OBE for his work.
Contents
About Anthony Buckeridge
Buckeridge was born in Hendon, London. His father passed away during World War I. Anthony then moved with his mother to Ross-on-Wye to live with his grandparents. After the war, they returned to London. Here, young Anthony became very interested in theatre and writing.
School Days and Early Career
Thanks to a scholarship, his mother sent him to Seaford College, a boarding school. His time as a schoolboy there was very important. It gave him many ideas for his later books. After school, Buckeridge tried working at a bank, but he didn't enjoy it. He then tried acting for a while.
Later, he went to University College London. He also worked as a teacher in Suffolk and Northamptonshire. These teaching experiences also helped him write his stories. During World War II, Buckeridge worked as a fireman. He wrote several plays during this time. He then returned to teaching at St Lawrence College, Ramsgate.
The Birth of Jennings
While teaching, he often told his students stories. These stories were about a fictional boy named Jennings. Jennings was a prep schoolboy at Linbury Court Preparatory School. The character of Jennings was actually based on an old school friend of Buckeridge's.
In 1962, he married his second wife, Eileen Selby. They lived near Lewes, where Buckeridge continued to write. He also appeared in small roles at the Glyndebourne theatre. Anthony Buckeridge passed away on June 28, 2004, after being unwell. He is remembered by his wife Eileen and his three children.
His Famous Books
After World War II, Buckeridge started writing radio plays for the BBC's Children's Hour. These plays were about Jennings and his calm friend, Darbishire. The first play, Jennings Learns the Ropes, aired on October 16, 1948.
The Jennings Series
In 1950, the first of more than twenty novels, Jennings Goes to School, was published. These books are known for Buckeridge's funny schoolboy slang. Phrases like "fossilised fish hooks!" and "crystallised cheesecakes!" became very popular. The Jennings books were as well-known as the Billy Bunter books by Frank Richards.
The stories were translated into many languages. They were especially popular in Norway, where some were even made into films. In Norway, Jennings is called "Stompa." In France, he was called Bennett, and in Germany, Freddy.
There are 24 books in the "Jennings" series. New books came out regularly until the mid-1970s. The last book for a while was Jennings at Large in 1977. This was the only book that showed Jennings during his school holidays. Two more books, Jennings Again (1991) and That's Jennings (1994), were published later.
The novels usually had three main storylines in each 16-chapter book. The early books came from the popular BBC radio series. All 62 of the original radio play scripts have been published in 10 books.
The Rex Milligan Series
Rex Milligan is another character created by Anthony Buckeridge. He is the main schoolboy hero in a series of five books. These books are set in the mid-20th century. Rex goes to Sheldrake Grammar School in North London. Unlike the Jennings series, Rex Milligan's stories are told by Rex himself. The last book in the series is a collection of 16 stories. These stories first appeared in the very popular Eagle comic.
Rex Milligan Characters
- J.I.G. (Jigger) Johnson: Rex's best friend. He has red hair, is sensible, and loves animals.
- Alfie Cutforth: (Alfie, short for alphabet, because his initials are A.B.C). He is loud and thinks he knows everything.
- J.O. Stagg (Staggers): He invents big, but often unworkable, gadgets.
- Boko Phipps: Not the fastest on the rugby field, but great at Maths. He's even better at copying the Maths teacher!
- Mr. Birkinshaw (Old Birkie or The Birk): The Maths teacher. He can lose his temper, much like Mr. Wilkins from the Jennings books.
- Mr. Frisby (The Frizzer): A kind French and English teacher. The students like and respect him. He has an interesting, but unreliable, old car.
- Mr. R.G. Hunter (The Head-Hunter): The Headmaster. He is firm but fair. He was a famous cricketer and athletics champion. His speeches can be long, but everyone respects him.
- Mr. Stanton: An easy-going and respected games teacher. He treats students fairly.
- Spikey Andrews: The football captain for Sheldrake's rival school, "the Secondary Tech."
- Bubblegum Tucker: Another student from the Secondary Tech.
- Mr Howard (Old Snorker): A teacher at the Secondary Tech.
- Mr P.V. Lindgrun: The tricky owner of the nearby Premier Garage.
List of Rex Milligan Books
- Rex Milligan's Busy Term
- Rex Milligan Raises the Roof
- Rex Milligan Holds Forth
- Rex Milligan Reporting
- Introducing Rex Milligan
Other Works
Anthony Buckeridge also wrote a radio serial called 'Liz'. It was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1974. He also wrote a book called While I Remember.
